Moving and Improving… Hermosa’s Café Bonaparte will be moving into the former Froyo space a few doors away from their current location so that Palmilla can expand, but you won’t have to miss the Pier Plaza’s favorite croissant sandwiches for long. The move won’t take place for months depending on the speed of the permit process, and the restaurant plans to only be closed for a few days. Their new location will have an expanded menu, but alas, probably not the lovely mural of Hermosa in days past…
Where The Action Is: El Segundo… The center of activity in the local restaurant scene is moving to El Segundo, and that’s a sentence I don’t think I ever expected to write. Besides the upcoming openings of Sausal and Kagura there are several restaurants on Main Street for sale, and the opening of The Point development at Rosecrans this weekend will greatly expand the options in the area. That development has high visibility and local traffic, which can’t be said of the Elevon project at Nash and Mariposa. The restaurants here will probably start out serving the local business community, but I have heard credible information that there will be more than the usual chain offerings here. I’ll let you know as soon as names are announced…
Delayed Delights… The White Light/White Night benefit for the cancer support group Walk With Sally was canceled due to rain a few weeks ago, which was the sensible move – it’s held on top of an office building at Continental Park, and that’s not a place I’d want to be when lightning may also decide to attend. The new date is August 22, and I strongly recommend that you go – it’s an evening unlike any other. Everyone who attends is encouraged to wear white, and many attendees show up in startlingly beautiful attire. The food and beverages are excellent, and all proceeds to to a worthy cause. Go to walkwithsally.org/wlwn for details and tickets…
Event Alerts!…It’s time again for the “Evening Under The Stars” otherwise known as the Torrance Food and Wine festival. It’s this Saturday, August 1, at the American Honda headquarters in Torrance. And if going to an auto manufacturer’s for a gala dinner seems odd, ask anybody who has attended this event for the last 28 years. Soul crooner Peabo Bryson will perform as beverages are poured and snacks profferred by dozens of wineries, breweries, and restaurants. Tickets are $150 at torrancememorial.org…
The Depot in Torrance has a reputation for lively events, particularly the street party called Summerfest that benefits the South Bay Volunteer Center. This is one of the only events to promise dancing in the streets and actually mean it – there will be live music, a lavish buffet, and beer, wine, and martini bars. The date is August 9, and tickets are $125 – call 310-212-5009 to join the fun… The Melville Wine Dinner at Dominique’s Kitchen on August 19 will probably be somewhat more genteel, but delightful in its own way. Melville is a rising star of the Central Coast. Enjoy their wines with lobster risotto, rack of lamb, and other delights. It’s $88 plus tax and tip – reserve at 424-247-9054.
Speaking of wine, Doma Kitchen finally has a beverage license and is serving vintages designed to combine with their fusion of Ukrainian, Uzbek, and California cuisine. The restaurant is beautiful and better than ever before – stop in and try their wonderful Siberian ravioli with dill, the cumin-scented lamb, or other delights…
Too Much of a Good Thing…I’ve reported on the transformation of Riviera Village into the local Little Italy, with two new Italian restaurants open so far this year and at least one more scheduled to join the six already in the neighborhood. As might be predicted, some established Italian places in the area are struggling, and it raises the question of how many can survive. The area is already a dining destination, and if the fame of the new restaurants causes people who don’t usually dine in the area to visit, they may all make it. The problem is parking – it’s bad now and the new openings won’t improve things. I sincerely hope that someone at the city is addressing this problem, or everyone in that business community will suffer…
